Valve-closed metal container



Dec. 26, 1933. w. F. PUNTE VALVE CLOSED METAL CONTAINER Filed April 25, 1932 ome gs' Patented Dec. 26, 1 933 VALVE-CLOSED METAL CONTAINER.

William F. Punte, Syracuse, N. Y., assignor to" Continental Can Company, Inc., New York,

N. Y., a-corporation of New York Application April 25, 1932. Serial No. 607,472

2 Claims. l. 220-44) I The invention relates to new and useful improvements in a metal container, and more particularlyto a metal container which is closed by a valve adapted to open to allow gas evolving 5 from the food product in the container to escape. An object of the invention is to provide a container of the above type wherein the valve is wholly on the outer face of the container end and 1 is opened by the bulging of the container end due upper portion of a container embodying the in-- vention, with the container end in normal position and the valve closed.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing the end bowed by pressure of the gases evolving from the product within the container and the valve open to permit escape of the gases.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view through the central portion, showing the parts as arranged in Fig. 2.

' Fig. 4 is a plan view of aportion of the container. v

The container includes a body portion to which an end is secured by seaming. The end is of the usual construction and is provided with openings adjacent and spaced from the center of the container. Secured to the outer face of the end is a metalccap. The metal cap has a central portion thereof depressed so as to contact with the end and is secured to the end by soldering, spot welding, or in any other suitable way. The cap overlies the perforations and is preferably free at its outer edge. Located between the cap and the end is a sealing. gasket which serves as a valve for closing the perforations in the'container end. When theend is in normal position, the valve is closed. When, however, the end is bulged or bowed outwardly by the pressure of the gas within the container, the metal part of the end directly beneath the cap is bowed so as to lift the valve from contact with the end andthus the perforations are uncovered.

Referring more in detail to the drawing, the

, container embodying the invention includes a body portion 1' to which an end 2 is secured by a double seam 3. The end may be of usual construction and is provided with perforations 4, 4.

' These. perforations are adjacent the center of the end but spaced therefrom to a slight extent. Attached to the outer face of the end is a metal cap 5. Said metal cap 5 has a central depressed portion which contacts with the container end centrally thereof andbetween the perforations. Said central depressed portion of the cap is securedto the end either by solder. applied through an opening in the cap or by spot welding. The end is provided with adepression forming an annular recess 7. The outer. edge portion of the cap is bent downwardly as indicated at 8 and over-. lies this recess.

The shape pfthe cap is such that there is an annular chamber between the cap and the end in the region of the perforations 4. Located in this annular chamber is an elastic seaming gasket 9.which is annular and which is preferably attached to the metal cap although this is not essential. This gasket serves as a valve for closing the perforations. When the container end 2 is in normal position, the gasket is pressed into tight contact with the end and closes the perforations. When the end 2 is bulged or flexed by the pressure of the gases evolving from the product in the container exceeding atmosphericpressure and the elasticity of the metal, the end is bowed so as to release the valve and permit the gases to escape. The bowing of the end as shown in Fig. 3 causes the portion of the end in the region of the perforations to take a position inclined' to the horizontal and this releases all pressure against the valve and permits the gases to pass out through the perforations and escape beneath the edge of the cap.

It will be obvious that the metal cap may be secured in other ways to the end and may be shaped differently from that shown. The. essential feature consists of the placing of the valve and the cap so that the valve is closed when the end is in normal position and the valve is opened when the end bulges due to the gas pressure within the container.

It is obvious that minorchanges in the details of construction may be'made without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appendedclaims.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is: e

1. A metal container comprising a body portion, an end seamed thereto and a perforation therethrough adjacent the center of the end, a metal cap secured to the outer face of said end centrally thereof and overlying said perforation, said cap in the region of said perforation being tion, an end seamed thereto and having a series of perforations therethrough adjacent the center of the end and spaced therefrom, a metal cap secured to the outer face of the end centrally of the cap and of the end and overlying said perforations, said cap in the region of the pertorations being spaced therefrom so as to provide an annular chamber, an annular sealing gasket located in said chamber between the cap and said end, said cap being free at its outer edge and spaced from the end'and said gasket being dimensioned so that when the end is in normal position said gasket covers said perforations and seals the container, and when said end is bowed outwardly by gas evolving from the food product, said gasket is released and the perforations un- WM. F. PUNTE.

covered. 

